Six weird things to clean and how to clean them

The spirit of spring-cleaning is easy to uphold in the actual spaces of your home, and even across the more straightforward items too, but what about the wonky ones?

Yes, the weird, the oddly-shaped, the not often looked upon with an eagle eye; how do you bring to cleanliness to the objects that make you think twice?

As with most things, it’s often the pre-task anticipation that’s worse than the act.

So buckle up, because cleaning your unusually shaped stuff can be easy. Here are six items you maybe haven’t cleaned in a while, and some easy ways to get them up to scratch.

If you’re a yogi, you’ll already understand the potential “ick” of putting your face down into child’s pose on a dirty mat.

A surface that is regularly covered with hands, feet and sweat, regularly disinfecting your yoga mat is a good idea.

You can do this simply with a readymade spray cleaner and a microfibre cloth. Or if you’d prefer to make your own, combine a few drops of mild dish or hand soap with two cups of warm water in a spray bottle.

First, lightly spritz the solution onto your mat and wipe the surface with a clean, dry cloth. Next, dip a second clean cloth into fresh water and wring well, before wiping down the mat to remove any residual dish soap left on the surface.

Repeat on the other side and ideally, hang over something sturdy to dry, like an outdoor chair, or from a secure wall hook.

Dirty, muddy running shoes don’t exactly inspire you to get out and exercise.

While some fabric-based trainers can be put through your washing machine, like Allbirds or Converse, others will need a more hands-on approach.

Either way, the beginning of the process is the same – remove the laces and insoles, and set aside.

Next, shake or clean off any mud or excess foliage outside. If it’s really caked in there, you may need the help of a bristled brush (an old dishwashing brush will do the trick).

You can pop the laces through your washing machine in a delicates’ bag. As for the insoles, prepare yourself to be horrified at your own sweaty feet and give these a wash in warm water with a little laundry detergent.

If they’re really stinky, you may want to first apply a paste of baking soda and distilled white vinegar, and leave them to sit for a while.

Next, scrub your shoes with a mixture of mild laundry detergent and water, and give them a good rinse. Shake off the excess moisture and stuff with newspaper to dry. If you have a hot water cupboard, leave them in there to speed up the process.

If the thought of cleaning your fridge makes you wish your house would just burn down instead, you’re not alone. Fortunately, though it does feel like a cumbersome task, refreshing your vegetable drawer is actually pretty easy.

Simply remove all items from the drawer, and put it in your kitchen sink. Use dishwashing liquid, warm water and clean brush to clean it out and either leave to dry upside down, or make sure to dry completely with a clean tea towel before returning it to the fridge.

If you've had some manky vegetables die in there and feel like it could do with an extra level of sterilisation, combine one part distilled white vinegar with two parts warm water in a spray bottle, spritz and leave to sit, before washing out as suggested above.

You may not know it, but traditional welcome mats are made out of a material called coir, which is produced from the husks of coconut shells.

Whilst this makes them very hard-wearing, it also makes them slightly more difficult to clean.

To revive your doormat, first give it a thorough vacuuming. Next, sprinkle with a dry cleaning powder, or a homemade cleaning powder such as cornstarch and baking soda mixed together.

Leave it on your mat for 30 minutes, before vacuuming it one last time.

If cleaning your shower curtain is not part of your routine, you need to rethink the way you clean. Whilst it doesn’t need to be done every week, washing once a month or once every few months will help your bathroom to look and feel more hygienic.

To remove the soap scum and mildew from your shower curtain, detach all hooks and throw it in the washing machine with a normal laundry detergent, a few old towels, and if you feel like it, a splash of white vinegar. It’ll come out like new.

No matter the material – cleaning a lamp shade is a delicate affair.

But whether it be made of paper, fabric, wicker or something else entirely, there’s an easy way to keep them clean, it just takes a little more regularity.

To maintain quality and prevent damage, simply dust your lampshades with a microfibre cloth or duster at least once a week. That should do the trick.

If your fabric lampshade has stains, all you need is a toothbrush and a little water. Simply wet the brush with warm soapy water (a little dish or hand soap is fine) and gently remove the mark.